Affirming liberty

Trump must proactively rebuke his white supremacist and neo-Nazi fans.

November 22, 2016

Liberty came to Texas on a Union transport ship.

General Gordon Granger, alongside 1,800 troops, arrived at Galveston with orders to assume command of all military in the state, carry out conditions of Confederate surrender and notify the people of Texas that all slaves were free.

Granger publicly delivered the message of emancipation on June 19, 1865 - now celebrated as Juneteenth.

Symbolized by a pair of liberated slaves, that proud moment is enshrined at the Texas Capitol as the centerpiece of the Texas African American History Memorial.

The sculpture, unveiled Saturday, embodies centuries of African-American contributions to our state, from Spanish explorers to the Texas Revolution and modern life.

"The fact is African Americans have shaped this land that we are on today since long before it was even named the state of Texas." Gov. Greg Abbott told the crowd. "They fought for their own freedom. They fought for the freedom of Texas and the freedom of the United States of America."

"They are a legacy for the generations that are to come forward in the future. But chapters have been missing from the story of Texas. That changes today."

Change can't come quickly enough. Down the block from Abbott's speech, white supremacist protesters provided a dark mirror image of the inclusion and Texas pride the new memorial represents.

The small group shouted slogans against hate-crime laws and in support of "white people's preservation," casting a shadow on the otherwise brilliant fall day. And while the white supremacists in Austin eventually found themselves surrounded by counterprotesters, a larger gathering this weekend in Washington, D.C. presented a ominous vision.

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A crowd of about 200 shouted those words, complete with Nazi salutes, at the Ronald Reagan Building on Saturday night. And for those who don't speak German, "heil victory" is just an English translation of "Seig Heil."

They call themselves "alt-right." That's just another way of saying "neo-Nazi."

Something about Donald Trump's political ascendance has empowered these hate groups. Racists who used to fear the light of day now flout their ugly agenda. Incidents of hateful harassment have spiked. Anti-semitism has returned to levels not seen in this nation for decades.

The final neo-Nazi speaker of the night made the message perfectly clear: "America was until this past generation a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us."

Sorry, but Texas history disagrees.

America belongs to descendents of freed slaves who thrived in a world that offered only loathing.

America belongs to immigrants seeking a better life.

America belongs to anyone who speaks in the language of liberty.

America is unique. America is exceptional. Ours is a nation founded not on history nor bloodlines, but on philosophical ideals. We believe that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.

As he prepares for the presidency, Trump must use his bully pulpit to reassert these values and proactively shout down the hatemongers who relish in his victory.

Liberty came to Texas more than 150 years ago. Trump needs to assure rightfully concerned Americans that it isn't going anywhere.